Improving your health doesn't have to be hard

Is there a person alive who doesn't know that exercise promotes good health? But even though it's so simple, not enough of us do it regularly.

According to the Mayo Clinic, exercise improves your mood -- long term and short term (unless you get passed by a one-legged 75-year-old woman during a 5K, that is).

Exercise lessens your risk of chronic disease, such as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and other diseases common among the obese. That's because exercise helps you maintain weight and, be honest, improved health is nice, but looking good is more important.

After improving your sex life, you can sleep peacefully since exercise also promotes better sleep ...

No. 1: Sleep

Nothing can be simpler than sleeping. You turn off the light. You lay down. You close your eyes. Who would have guessed sleeping could be one of the five simple ways to improve your health?

So why do we all get so little of it?

Harvard Medical School reports that sleep helps with metabolism and maintaining proper weight. It improves memory and mood, increases safety, improves cardiovascular health and decreases the likelihood of getting sick.

Before you get too excited and start chugging Nyquil, sleeping too much can be just as harmful as sleeping too little. Maintaining a consistent pattern of sleep -- including the times at and the conditions in which you sleep -- provides maximum sleep benefits.

So what are you waiting for? Grab some water, a pen and paper, some vegetables, a gym membership and a pillow and start improving your health today.

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